Middlebury register. (Middlebury, Vt.) 1886-1937, 1887-05-13
FAIRY LAMPS OF THE SEA.
Starfish That Sparkle Like Brilliant Gems.
Phosphorescent Jellyfsh.

rious shapes and colors of animals alone
attract attention; but if they are ex-
amined at night they develop new
beauty, cleaning with a wondrous light
that is so little understood. The star
fishes brought up at certain places are all
seemingly heated to a white heat the
CLEANS running up and down the arms,
making the animal a marvel of beauty.
Especially among the stars known as
ophinrans is the light most brilliant and
interesting. Even the very young ones
sparkle like gems A dredge has been
taken from a great depth fairly overflow
ing with these dazzling creatures, telling
a wonderful story of the condition of
things below the surface. These are the
lights of the bottom and in shoaler water
we shall find anemones and corals emit
ting wonderful light.
Perhaps the most striking light given
is a group of polyps, growing upon a
stem three or four feet in length, resem-
bling a tall candlestick. The name of
this creature is the umbellularia. and it
was first found in deep water off the
coast of Greenland. the trawl bringing
up such large number that it was evident
that the ship had passed over a veritable
forest of them. Imagine a corn-field a
mile or so below the surface. the stalks
four feet long and the ears emitting
golden greenish light of wonderful soft
ness: think of this as spread over acres
of surface to an indefinite extent. the
lights waving here and there in gentle UNI
dulations; imagine fishes darling through
them with cleaning headlights, others
outlined in fire. while far above are great
globes of light. with soft aurcolas. and
some idea of this world beneath the sea
can be formed.
The jcllyfish. or medusae. are among
the most remarkable of light givers. and,
with few exceptions. they are luminous,
some being more so than Others and much
of the phosphorescence of the Pacific, as
seen from the decks of vessels. is due to
these creatlres-that are SO beautifully
formed and so delicate in color. vet in
reality are % per cent. water; in all jelly
fish ) per cent. will represent the solid
part.
In some. as peagia. the entire animal
is luminous. its shape being outlined in
full. as it We're, while in others only GER
tain portions are light emitting. Not only
are these creatures phosphorescent, but
the colors are different: some emit a
golden light; in others it is a green or
azure, and some seem to combine several
tints. Again, certain ones are luminous
all the time; others show their light in a
titful way or when disturbed: and during
the autumn of the year. when these
radiant creatures are hurled against the
rocks and ground up, their lights seem to
] in I'm no n,t I'M.
a seething caldron.
Among the crustaceans, or, as they are
commonly called. the crabs. we find some
interesting light givers. Several years
ago some explorers on our southwestern
coast found that as night came on the
snow sludge along shore gave out light,
and when it was fully dark the display
was extremely remarkable: at every step
flashes of light splashed about every
where, tinted with an intense blue hue,
and the scene presented could he dupli-
Gated if it were possible for man to walk
through molten metal. The little creature
that produced this light was extremely
small. but what it lacked in size it made
up in numbers, the cold. icy water being
fairly alive with them, each one flashing
like a gem.
Probably nearly all of the deep sea forms
are light givers. either over their entire
surface or upon certain places. One
which | call to mind has luminous
bands upon its legs, while another, with
an mpronounceable name. has luminous
eyes The worms that hide in the mud
are brilliant light givers, some emitting
lights of several colors. The sea plume.
and fans of the south are gorgeous in a
lilac light. In fact in some places every
thing brought to the surface is light
giver so that we can well imagine thai
while the deep sea has no sunlight. ma
ture has done her best to compensate fol
the omission.
Even among the shells we find ligh,
givers. The little cleodora, with its little
fairy ship or shell, emits a light now Of
intense blue. again red or white, while
the pholas, the little bivalve that enters
solid rock with all the ease of the miner
has brilliant BLUSH light that continue,
even after the death of the animal anC
as long ago as the time of Pliny writer
said thar those who dined upon the
pholas appeared to be eating fire, SO viviC
was the phosphorescence. Some inter
esting experiments have been tried will
this light giver. Thus by placing one il
honey its luminosity was retained for
year. As may be surmised such expert
mcnts We're made with the idea of rem
dering the phosphorescence of the phoa
permanent and if the secret of anima
luminosity could be discovered and ap
: piled to the wants of the man il would
r without doubt revolutionize existing
methods.
We have seen that the deep sea anC
shallow waters have their lights, yet i
all these We're combined the most deli
cately adjusted thermometer would fai
, to show the slightest elevation of tenn
f perature, and this is the popularity o
| phosphorescent light. 1t is heatless, glow
, i'll vacuum, under water-in fact. in al
conditions where ordinary light fails.
1t is a combustion no one can prove it
and consumption of organic fuel ac
| companied by light but not heat, is diff
e cult to understand. Endless theories hav